The Case For Katherine Heigl, Television Actress

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America can hate Katherine Heigl for her mouthiness and her apparent lack of appreciation for the television series that brought her fame and multi-million dollar movie roles, but Grey's Anatomy has never needed Heigl more. George O'Malley has passed tragically into that elevator after world, the Mer-Der relationship flat lined with anticlimactic post-it note wedding vows and Shonda Rhimes revealed that she will be flooding the halls of Seattle Grace with new administrators and nurses while Ellen Pompeo is on maternity leave and Heigl is busy shooting rom-coms. Even with her spotty attendance and the fact that Izzie Stevens will probably be unconscious for half of this season's episodes, Katherine Heigl is the reason viewers will keep tuning into past-its-prime Grey's Anatomy.

You might think that Katherine Heigl is doing everything to extricate herself from her Grey's Anatomy contract so that she can cash in on a series of shallow rom-coms, but I think she is a PR genius. Her controversial statements have regularly landed her in headlines and steered the spotlight towards Grey's Anatomy creator Shonda Rhimes and her castmates for public rebuttals.

But Katherine Heigl is actually a skilled actress. Maybe it isn't apparent from her feature film turns as uptight, one-dimensional characters that turn giggly after finding love, but playing the role of Izzie Stevens successfully has required an amount of thespian depth that is not found that often on network television. Izzie Stevens is a beautiful ex-model who grew up in a trailer park, gave the child she had during her late teenage years up for adoption and worked her way through medical school only to deal with the sudden death of her fiancé and now the loss of her best friend.

Admittedly, Grey's Anatomy can drift into melodrama parody territory with its all-too-wise narration, its Tegan and Sara-heavy soundtrack and those hard lessons learned through patients' deaths, but Heigl has always given Izzie Stevens tremendous credibility. Sure, Ellen Pompeo can play the romantically vulnerable daughter of a top surgeon and a deadbeat father better than you can believe, but Katherine Heigl can play funny while dying from skin cancer.

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Comments

  • Annelie says:

    I agree with a lot of your comments - Heigl is fantastic..but I also think she has been unfairly treated by the press. She has been subject to some negative publicity I don't think she has deserved at all. As Grey's exec producer Krista Vernoff said in her interview with the Futon Critic: "I think that Katherine gets sort of a bad rap. I have to say I think if Katherine was a man and saying the same things that Katherine says I don't think she'd get the rap she gets. My answer is I find Katherine to be collaborative and smart and a really important part of the show."

  • Andy says:

    Agree with some of the stuff you said but I also think that the romcoms have served as a break from the death, disease and illness Heigl has to act with 9 months of the year. She is very adept at comedy and ok the movies are rom com fluff but they are entertaining and she does a great job. I am sure she will have more varied and demanding roles when she does eventually leave Grey's to pursue her movie career full time. I wish her well because she is a tremendous talent. You are right..about some things though..she is definitely the best thing on Grey's Anatomy.

  • Old No.7 says:

    Holy fucktards in a parade, you have got to be kidding me.
    I won't debate whether or not she may, or may not, have the acting talent to prop up the overweight ham-fisted circle-jerk better known as Grey's Anatomy, but calling her a PR genius just because she tightens up the straps on her maxi-pad an extra couple of notches, stomps her feet like a spoiled four year-old and gets a couple paragraphs in EW's news section is big fucking stretch of the imagination.
    If television is her acting wheelhouse, so be it. But next time you're visiting Shondaland, you might want to tape up a picture of Shelly Long in Kate's dressing room to remind her that, for better or worse, wishes sometimes do come true.

  • I think she saved her underwritten character in "Knocked Up".

  • kat fan says:

    i loved her long before greys and I will after. but idk if i would stop watching greys if she left, if the story lines are still good ill watch.

  • kat fan says:

    i loved her long before greys and I will after. but idk if i would stop watching greys if she left, if the story lines are still good ill watch.

  • Lowbrow says:

    Hey Katherine! Down here! You might want to bring those vibrating panties out of retirement before reading the above comment. I'm just sayin'.

  • Christopher says:

    Heigl may get ridiculous at times, but comments like " tightens up the straps on her maxi-pad an extra couple of notches" make me long for Movieline to get a Jezebel counterpart...

  • Turncoat says:

    Oh god helps us all if that ever happens.

  • stolidog says:

    Come On! She's awesome! I'm sure we've all seen ZYZZYX Road, right? Awesome!

  • JojoButtinski says:

    Old No.7 apparently you have no idea WHAT PR is. The fact that you think that she ISN'T a PR machine despite the fact that most of her movies, good or not, still reach the top ten, and that her char is one of the PRIME reasons WHY people watch GA, then you my friend are a deluded fool. And to compare her to Shelly Long is a stretch in my eyes. Shelly Long never HAD talent or anything HUGE during her life time, with the exception of Cheers, but most of her stuff has flopped since than. At least KH has an emmy and has a better PR tactic than her. In fact it's an insult. Even the most idiotic haters with the personality of a river shrimp aren't that spite filled. Come on 7. Have you no heart?

  • HoHoWannabe says:

    No apparently YOU don't know anything about PR. She HAS a PR Manager, she's not a PR anything. TOP TEN MOVIES MEAN NOTHING! Movie placement is about how much money is wasted on advertising by the production companies that, by the way, she SLAMS all the time too. No, her whiny-ass character is one of the PRIME reasons why people stopped watching the show, or didn't you get a load of the ratings DUMP last season. Nice try, you're the deluded fool and not to mention a blind FOLLOWER as well. No one cares what a stretch is in your eyes considering that you don't even know what you're talking about anyway.
    And Katherine Heigl DOES have talent? You're dreaming. The only thing HUGE that KH has is her fat, flabby ass,
    and maybe her head the size of a basketball. "but most of her stuff has flopped since than." - Point made,
    you just described your favorite big-mouthed bitch to a T. Year-long run-on, by the way. Next time, learn how to use sentences. Wow, an Emmy - the same BS excuse from the same tired idiots which proves that YOU don't have a clue. The Emmys ARE and ALWAYS HAVE BEEN POLITICAL, JUST LIKE THE OSCARS. Again, SHE doesn't have ANY PR without a manager, they are the ones that spin everything, which is why idiots like you believes the stupid shit that you are spewing right now. In fact, you're an insult to society as a whole - to think that someone as stupid, gullible, and easily-led as you could STILL exist is pathetic.
    "Even the most idiotic haters with the personality of a river shrimp aren't that spite filled." - You would know since that would be you and all of KH'S FOLLOWERS, NOT HATERS, moron. Come on loser, it's people like you that do thinks for spite. The haters don't spite her, they just HATE HER, it's that simple at least it would be if you had a brain. Have you no life other than needlessly and endlessly sticking up for some untalented, fat hack, that doesn't give a flying fuck about you? Guess not! You measly defenders need to do yourselves a favor, go do some FREAKIN' RESEARCH about this pontificating, pretentious pig before you CLAIM to know what you're talking about.
    Until you actually learn the TRUTH about her, STFU because all you're trying to do is blow sunshine up peoples' skirts, just like she tries to do; too bad she's not succeeding much anymore and neither will her childish loser fans aka YOU.
    Krista Vernoff is a loser, just like you are. She's just like every other stupid blonde female airhead who uses the BS excuse of "well, if it were a man, blah, blah, blah," which is hardly true since MORE has been said and DONE to men in the business, even if they don't complain as much. Anyone that keeps a person that has a 12+ year history of slamming and blaming EVERYONE but herself for her shortcomings, and keeps hiring them back is by far-and-away daft at the very least. And again, the press/media whatever you want to pawn the problem off on only SEES AND HEARS WHAT SHE SAYS AND THEY HAVE IT ON TAPE MOST OF THE TIME, apparently KH's fans are as bad at lying and making up excuses as she is. I love how you stupid dopes defend this jerk until the cows come home, yet no one sees any of this same defense for Megan Fox. Megan has only been in the business for 4+ years and she only made fun of ONE PERSON. I'm guessing that you Heigl-butts are glad that Megan Fox is now getting ALL of the flack and your fave dumb blonde is getting NONE of it anymore.

  • JojoButtinski says:

    Top ten movies mean nothing. Right. That’s why almost every movie she’s been in has made the top ten? Because they mean nothing? That would be true if everyone one of her movies has flopped in terms of percentage but the fact the movies she’s in has managed to do as well as they are doing tells you something about her staying power. Something that Shelly Long, the person you compared her to never had.
    Also seeing as how you don’t even KNOW what you are talking about. Her story line last year with her character’s love interest reached 15.3 million viewers which kinda flew into the face of your little argument as well as the fact that her SL also received a lot of praise. Seems like you really have no clue what you are saying 7.
    And apparently I’m not the only one who has an issue with reading since you can’t even read a POST well enough to support this idiotic drivel of yours. I was actually referring to Shelly Long in that "but most of her stuff has flopped since than." Comment.
    But you know what? I would rather be someone who ENJOYS a performance rather than some pseudo witty internet hater who has a hard on for posting garbage about celebrities that they know nothing about. As well as the fact that they act like they have the inside scoop when it comes to Hollywood yet remain to be nothing more than some hate full light weight intellectual who knows nothing about what they are saying. I mean you claim we are the insult to society? Well if you think about, who’s more insulting? Someone who ENJOYS something, or some pathetic internet hater who lacks a social life and has to post mass amount of e-butt hurt to subdue their raging hard on? Wow dude, how pathetic are you? I would rather be a KH follower than some moron hater who lacks the mental capacity to break apart their posts in attempts to reply.
    And yeah you DO spite her. I mean that’s what all this Is about “loser” I mean if you didn’t show any sort of petty hatred towards her, then neither of us would be having this conversation in the first place. I mean otherwise you wouldn’t be here writing the same unoriginal BS that every celebrity hater has written. You’d actually have a LIFE, rather than checking back here every now and then so you can feed your little e-hating addiction. Again you seem to lack the mental capabilities to see the obvious contradictions in your post. I mean have YOU no life other than roaming the internet and posting on other KH articles just to act like some internet bad ass with an obvious security issue?
    I assume the insecurity goes along with your pathetic pompous pseudo witty personality. I mean seeing as how you continue to call her fat and ugly and what, I think it’s safe to either say that you’re very insecure about your looks, or you’re fat and ugly yourself. I mean seeing as how you continue to bring up those traits about her. It’s a real turn off dude.
    And we are all well aware of the fact that she doesn’t care about what people say or how they defend her. We are all pretty much aware that she has better things to do. But did it ever occur in your little feeble mind that, we make these posts towards you to get a rise out of you? I mean honestly. I can only fathom the mass amount of energy you spend making hate triads about a complete and utter stranger on the internet. Oh yeah dude, you’re so much better than a fan. That’s exactly what I want to be when I grow up. Some moron streaming live out of mom’s basement throwing out clichéd anger induced stock insults just so you can make your self feel a little better and forget the fact that you’re an anti social loser with no friends.
    What you need to do is actually stop jacking off to hate threads and other half with pseudo intellectuals who think they know how the worlds works just by sitting behind a lap top with nacho cheese stains all over your already dirt filled t-shirt.
    I mean how much truth do YOU actually know about her? Besides the crap you read off of Perez Hilton’s website and fox news or whatever BS news site you visit when you aren’t looking up cheep internet porn? I mean childish losers? This is coming from some anonymous e-thug who probably hasn’t seen the outside since…well for a long time. I think you should take your own advice my friend and stop hindering on the poor memories you had of getting your ass dumped in high school because everyone thought that you were too much of an anti social douche bag.
    But I do encourage you to continue to post here. It is always fun to see what is going on through the minds of some pathetic internet loser who blogs and hates on 24/7 to cover up the fact that they were probably some failed actor, screen writer, director wannabe or just a failure in life. Also as far as the whole Megan Fox thing goes, Megan Fox compared one of Hollywood’s biggest directors to one of history’s notorious mass murderer. KH said that the writing was bad for her show. Big difference there dumb ass.
    So I’m sure you have some generic long winded response that you want to throw out because your feelings were hurt, so by all means. Go ahead. It does make for nice E-drama 😉

  • stupidpettyhater says:

    Top ten movies mean nothing. Right. That’s why almost every movie she’s been in has made the top ten? Because they mean nothing? That would be true if everyone one of her movies has flopped in terms of percentage but the fact the movies she’s in has managed to do as well as they are doing tells you something about her staying power. Something that Shelly Long, the person you compared her to never had.
    Also seeing as how you don’t even KNOW what you are talking about. Her story line last year with her character’s love interest reached 15.3 million viewers which kinda flew into the face of your little argument as well as the fact that her SL also received a lot of praise. Seems like you really have no clue what you are saying 7.
    And apparently I’m not the only one who has an issue with reading since you can’t even read a POST well enough to support this idiotic drivel of yours. I was actually referring to Shelly Long in that "but most of her stuff has flopped since than." Comment.
    But you know what? I would rather be someone who ENJOYS a performance rather than some pseudo witty internet hater who has a hard on for posting garbage about celebrities that they know nothing about. As well as the fact that they act like they have the inside scoop when it comes to Hollywood yet remain to be nothing more than some hate full light weight intellectual who knows nothing about what they are saying. I mean you claim we are the insult to society? Well if you think about, who’s more insulting? Someone who ENJOYS something, or some pathetic internet hater who lacks a social life and has to post mass amount of e-butt hurt to subdue their raging hard on? Wow dude, how pathetic are you? I would rather be a KH follower than some moron hater who lacks the mental capacity to break apart their posts in attempts to reply.
    And yeah you DO spite her. I mean that’s what all this Is about “loser” I mean if you didn’t show any sort of petty hatred towards her, then neither of us would be having this conversation in the first place. I mean otherwise you wouldn’t be here writing the same unoriginal BS that every celebrity hater has written. You’d actually have a LIFE, rather than checking back here every now and then so you can feed your little e-hating addiction. Again you seem to lack the mental capabilities to see the obvious contradictions in your post. I mean have YOU no life other than roaming the internet and posting on other KH articles just to act like some internet bad ass with an obvious security issue?
    I assume the insecurity goes along with your pathetic pompous pseudo witty personality. I mean seeing as how you continue to call her fat and ugly and what, I think it’s safe to either say that you’re very insecure about your looks, or you’re fat and ugly yourself. I mean seeing as how you continue to bring up those traits about her. It’s a real turn off dude.
    And we are all well aware of the fact that she doesn’t care about what people say or how they defend her. We are all pretty much aware that she has better things to do. But did it ever occur in your little feeble mind that, we make these posts towards you to get a rise out of you? I mean honestly. I can only fathom the mass amount of energy you spend making hate triads about a complete and utter stranger on the internet. Oh yeah dude, you’re so much better than a fan. That’s exactly what I want to be when I grow up. Some moron streaming live out of mom’s basement throwing out clichéd anger induced stock insults just so you can make your self feel a little better and forget the fact that you’re an anti social loser with no friends.
    What you need to do is actually stop jacking off to hate threads and other half with pseudo intellectuals who think they know how the worlds works just by sitting behind a lap top with nacho cheese stains all over your already dirt filled t-shirt.
    I mean how much truth do YOU actually know about her? Besides the crap you read off of Perez Hilton’s website and fox news or whatever BS news site you visit when you aren’t looking up cheep internet porn? I mean childish losers? This is coming from some anonymous e-thug who probably hasn’t seen the outside since…well for a long time. I think you should take your own advice my friend and stop hindering on the poor memories you had of getting your ass dumped in high school because everyone thought that you were too much of an anti social douche bag.
    But I do encourage you to continue to post here. It is always fun to see what is going on through the minds of some pathetic internet loser who blogs and hates on 24/7 to cover up the fact that they were probably some failed actor, screen writer, director wannabe or just a failure in life. Also as far as the whole Megan Fox thing goes, Megan Fox compared one of Hollywood’s biggest directors to one of history’s notorious mass murderer. KH said that the writing was bad for her show. Big difference there dumb ass.
    So I’m sure you have some generic long winded response that you want to throw out because your feelings were hurt, so by all means. Go ahead. It does make for nice E-drama 😉